As parents we always hear how important positive reinforcement is when disciplining your child.  Instead of just punishing your toddler for wacking the dog, praise her when you catch her petting the puppy nicely. I’m sure you have all heard this over and over again.

Well, recently, I’ve discovered that this works for me as well.  I tend to beat myself up over every mistake I make as a parent and think “Alright now I’ve gone and screwed her up for good.”

Last week I started trying this positive reinforcement thing out on myself.  I have been ending every day with thinking of three things I did RIGHT that day concerning Eva.  It has seriously made a huge difference in my interactions with her.  Not only do I feel better about myself and my ability to raise a little human being but throughout the day I think about how I am going to have to answer to myself and I make better choices because of it.

Positive reinforcement has made me a better mom.

This picture is from our Duck feeding session this week.  Did you know that you can feed hard boiled eggs to ducks?  According to my duck-friendly sister it is better for them than bread.

Also, did you know that peeling hard boiled eggs is a great fine motor activity for toddlers?  I discovered that one for myself.  Now, if I could just figure out how to get her to eat one.

I hope you are all enjoying your Spring as much as we are!

One parenting lesson I’m learning right  now and that so many others have learned before me is that weekends aren’t always what they’re cracked up to be.  Now that my lil’ munchkin is growing into a healthfully defiant 2 1/2 year old, weekends tend to throw a wrench into our well oiled routine.  We wake up Saturday morning with the highest of hopes for a nice respite from the busyness of the week only to be pulled abruptly back down to reality.

The past couple of months Eva just cannot handle the change in routine a weekend brings.  She is so happy to have her Daddy home, and I am so happy to have her Daddy home so he can take care of her, and I can get a little bit of a brake but it just doesn’t work out that way.  Our toddler NEEDS routine and does not do well when it is disrupted.  This leaves me feeling resentful that my husband is home on a weekend?!  WTF?! 

As far as letting Daddy do the usual routine things like taking her to the potty, getting her dressed, brushing her hair.  She will have none of it.  Daddy is not for taking care of me!  He is for playing with me!!!

All of this disruption in her routine makes her a very grumpy little girl.  Crying and throwing a fit over every little thing.  Daddy tries to do something like say get her dressed, she will have none of it and start crying, mommy steps in to try and work some magic, she starts crying even harder “I want my Daddy!!!” 

This reminds me of how I used to be when I would come home from being at a friends house all weekend.  Now I know why my dad would tell me.  “If your going to be so grumpy when you get home I’m not letting you spend the day at a friends house anymore.”    I totally get it now Dad.  Just what you always wished for right?

Maybe the real lesson I’m learning (over and over again) is that life with kids is an ever changing process.  Nothing ever stays the same for long.  I used to look forward to weekends…now I look forward to Mondays.  Go figure.

photo credit: Chelsea Peterson (go check her out on flickr)

Have a picnic!

It’s springtime and the weather here in Arizona is perfect.  I am extremely lucky to live right across the street from a big park.  I literally walk out my front door cross the street and find myself in the middle of a large sports field with a small playground a short walk away.

Yesterday DD and I packed up some snacks, a blanket, bubbles, a spray bottle of water, a bucket of water, and some paint brushes.  We had a delightful time sitting on our blanket eating strawberries and cheese and afterward we had even more bonding time while we played.  Nature really is the best classroom.  I talked to her about the world around us, she worked on her hand/eye coordination by blowing bubbles, and using the spray bottle to “clean the tree”, we did math by counting our fingers and toes, and she learned the names of new body parts like ankles and elbows.  The best part was we were steps away from our front door so we could get as messy as we wanted and not worry about having to drive or walk home.
I wish I had brought my camera because it was really a special day.  (This picture was taken last November.)

I haven’t done one of these in a while and the reason for that is well because I have been completely overwhelmed with this new stage DD is going through. I’m guessing it’s normal two year old behavior.  It’s funny because I have always been determined never to call it the “terrible twos” because it seems like such a negative term but man no matter how many times I have heard that term and I still wasn’t prepared for this. Anyway she has definitely been challenging me and leaving me feeling like the worlds most incompetent mom so I just haven’t really had the heart to come on here and tell you all how I have it all figured out. Sarcasm? Yes! I have never thought that I’ve had it all figured out but lately I have been feeling like a fish out of water. Like I have no idea what I’m doing.
Soooo…my tip of the day is….Have a sense of humor!!! When your last button has been pushed and you feel like your gonna snap find the HUMOR in the situation! I’m not advising that you break out hysterically laughing at your toddling two year old who has just figured out a way to climb on top of the refrigerator. But when she is refusing to brush her teeth for the umpteenth time and it is getting on your last nerve just try to find the humor in it. Having a good laugh with your child will likely lighten the situation and if nothing else you will turn that frown upside down.

Have you ever been to DLTK KIDS? I had been going to this site long before I became a mother. It was always so helpful when I needed craft ideas to do with the kids at work. Now that Eva is getting older I still love going here to print up alphabet coloring pages or different crafts I can do with her.
I added the link to my sidebar. If you have never been you need to check it out!